Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-05-28
--MARTlASBURG INDEPENDENT
"THr COERCION BILL.s'

Ine treatment Ci lTeiaHO my Ell
gland for the past two centuries
is blot on Christian cgiliza-
ton. The most stringent laws en-
acted by England and enfoTcedsw
the utmost vigor and cruelty, wave
however failed to destroy the spirit
of liberty among theTIrish, and taeir
determination to govern their oown
land, and their resistance to their
oppressors, have awakened 'p'-it
of admiration and sympathy among
all men who love justice and fair
play.
The fight has recently become
very interesting sine tnat grand ola
christian stetesman-Ailadst stone
has taken the lead against those
Tories who persist in lighting the
inevitable.
The great, Cause or causes OF the
trouble between che two countries is
twofold-the question ofaand, and
the goveramentiby those no. in SYM
pathy with the speople.
Ever since Jaaz1es the III a0nfisca.
ted the estates of ,tsae Irish l~cdown-
crs, and divided them among his En-
glish followers, ireland has been
cursed with landlords whose chief
object has b ZEN TO. obtain the high
est possible rent from their tenants,
who were compelled ito see the fault
of their labor GO to-sppEort their abb
sent landlord, revealing In luxury IN
England
The Irish have at last refused TO
pay these exorbitaat rents, and their
almost unanimous resistance has
provoked the measure pending now
in the English House of Commons,
and known rs the Coercion Bill"
TheIrish aspire to selfgoverRment
in their own country, or to such par-
ticipation as will enable them to
enact such laws as the circumstances
of the people require, and to have
the right of enforcing those laws by
those Of their own race who are in
sympathy with tie people who are
subject to the law.
1t will be at once seen that this is
the spirit that animated our Revolu
tionary fathers, and so clearly en-
bodied in our Declaration of indie
pendence-that the consent of the
governed is essential to ell just gov
ernment.
This is the very soul aBd genius
of American Institutions. 1t is OF
posed to aristocracy and despotism,
and It is this phase and feature of
the contest now waging in England,
and in different form in other parts
of Europe, that lend an interest to
Che struggle and enlist the sympa-
thies of Americans.
1t is the battle of merit aud worth
against caste and privilege;the fight
ofjustice against injustice; Of free
dom against slavery; of the right of
the governed to represent them in
their government; and every true
American must feel the deepest in
terest in the application of the prin.
ciples that have made his own coun-
try SO great and powerful among the
nations of the earth,
There is singular analogy be-
tween the Coercion Bill and the Re
construction Laws passed by Con-
gress. Those laws were an attempt
to govern the Southern States by the
National Government, without the
consent and cooperation ofthe most
intelligent and wealthiest citizens of
those States. They resisted their
operations, and refused to par'ici
pate in their enforcement, and the
result has been acomplete failure,
thus demonstrating that in this coun-
try, at least, no law can long stand
against the combined will Of those to
whom it is applicable.
The claim Of Home Rule was sue
cessfully advocated, and Congress
,r;thd row from The nnsitiOn III aSSnm-